Umm Jirsan lava tube: 7K years ago, humans once thrived inside [Video]

New archaeological excavation at Umm Jirsan in the volcanic field of Harrat Khaybar in Saudi Arabia.

It shed light on the lives of ancient people in Arabia, spanning from the Neolithic to the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age periods (~10,000-3,500 years ago). 

A new study found that Umm Jirsan, a large lava tube roughly 125 kilometers (77 miles) north of Medina, has provided shelter to humans herding livestock for at least the past 7,000 years.  

A collaboration between Griffith University’s Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE) and international partners tapped into archaeological reservoirs that have remained untouched before. 

The research was led by Mathew Stewart of Griffith University and colleagues, who analyzed archaeological evidence found within the lava tube, including artifacts, rock art, and skeletal remains.

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